Extensible rod for a garment display rack



March 6, 1962 W LL 3,023,911

EXTENSIBLE ROD FOR A GARMENT DISPLAY RACK Filed April 4, 1960 @Qwmmmzw mn w ig ilnited States Patent Ofiice 3,023,911 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 3,023,911 EXTENSIBLE ROD FOR A GARMENT DISPLAY RACK Joel B. Wells, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Garey Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 19,822 8 Claims. (Cl. 211-170) This invention relates to an extensible rod for a garment display rack, and is particularly concerned with means for mounting an extensible rod in a display rack so that it may be easily extended for supporting garments removed from a supporting rail, and will not interfere with use of the supporting rail when it is in its retracted position.

In connection with the display of garments for sale, it is customary to provide rods, extending transversely of the supporting rail upon which the stock of garments is displayed, at various intervals along the length of the supporting rail, in order to support a few garments selected by a prospective customer from the stock displayed.

In accordance with the present invention, the transversely extending rods are pivotally mounted on the brackets that support the garment supporting rail. The extensible rods are easily movable between a retracted position, in which they lie inconspicuously along the top edges of support brackets below the upper edge of said supporting rail, and an extended position, in which they are adapted to support garments removed from the stock of garments supported by the supporting rail.

In its retracted or inoperative position each extensible rod is mounted between the garment supporting rail and a standard on which the support bracket is mounted. The garment supporting rail is mounted on the outer ends of the support brackets. The outer end of each extensible rod is spaced inwardly of the garment supporting rail far enough to provide clearance for the hook of a clothes hanger suspended from the garment supporting rail. The clearance permits clothes hangers upon which garments are mounted to be slid back and forth along the garment supporting rail without interference from the extensible rods.

When the extensible rod is extended into its garment supporting position, it extends over the garment supporting rail and is partially supported thereby. Such partial support is spaced outwardly of the supporting links that comprise the mounting for the extensible rod.

The structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages are attained will be described in detail in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a garment display rack with extensible rods in retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a garment display rack with an extensible rod in extended position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing an extensible rod in its retracted position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing an extensible rod in its extended position; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, a plurality of support brackets 2 are mounted in upright standards 3 in conventional manner. The support brackets extend perpendicularly from the standards and their outer ends are aligned in a common horizontal plane. A garment supporting rail 4 is mounted on brackets 5 rigidly secured to the outer end portions of support brackets 2 and projecting upwardly therefrom. In the drawings each bracket 5 is provided with an upstanding pin 6, and garment supporting rail 4 is provided with apertures (not shown) adapted to register with pins 6 so that it may be impaled on a plurality of said pins. It will be understood, however, that the specific garment supporting rail and bracket structure do not constitute part of the present invention, inasmuch as any suitable brackets and garment supporting rail may be used.

An extensible rod 7 comprises a tubular base section 3 and a section 9 adapted to telescope into base section 8. It will be understood that the extensible rod may comprise more than two telescoping sections, if desired. The outer end of section 9 is provided with an end member 10, which may be in the form of a collar, nut or sleeve, forming a stop member adapted to abut the outer end of tubular section 8 when the extensible rod is retracted. The end member 10 also serves as a stop member to prevent clothes hangers mounted on the extensible rod from slipping off the outer end thereof. End member 10 may be screwed on the end of section 9, as indicated at 11, or may be secured thereto in any other suitable manner.

The inner end of section 9 is also provided with a stop member 12 adapted to abut the inner end of a tubular sleeve 13 secured within the outer end portion of section 8. Tubular sleeve 13 may be replaced by a suitable inwardly extending projection, but said projection should be spaced far enough from the outer end of section 3 to provide a suitable overlap between the outer end of base section 8 and the inner end of section 9 when the extensible rod is in its extended position. The overlap is desirable to provide added strength to the outer section of the extensible rod so that it may support the garments that may be mounted thereon.

Two split collars 14 and 15 are mounted in spaced relationship on tubular section 8 with flanges 16 and 17 of said collars in axial alignment. Collar 15 is positioned adjacent the rear end of section 8. Links 18 and 19 are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of bracket 2. The links are each pivotally secured to flanges 16 and 17, respectively. All of the links are parallel and are of equal length. The other end of each link is pivotally secured to the upper edge portion of support bracket 2, as indicated at 20 and 21, respectively. Pivot 21 is spaced from the rear end of bracket 2 a distance slightly greater than the length of link 19, so that the rear end of the extensible rod in its retracted position will be positioned slightly forwardly of standard 3. It is also essential that collar 14 be spaced rearwardly of rail 4 when extensible rod 7 is in its extended position. Pivot 20 is spaced rearwardly of the outer end of bracket 2 a sufficient distance so that collar 14 is spaced rearwardly of supporting rail 4 when rod 7 is in its extended position. Bracket 2 is long enough to provide clearance between links 18 and 19 so there will be no interference between these links when the extensible rod is retracted.

The length of the extensible rod in its retracted position is less than the distance between garment supporting rail 4 and the standard 3 in which bracket 4 is mounted. In the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3, there is suflicient clearance between the outer edge of end member 10 and the adjacent surface of rail 4 to allow clothes hangers suspended from rail 4 to he slid longitudinally of said rail past the outer end of the extensible rod without interference.

Links 18 and 19 permit extensible rod 7 to be swung upwardly above the upper edge of garment supporting rail 4. When the extensible rod is above the garment supporting rail, section 9 may be readily pulled out of base section 8 into its extended position, in which stop member '12 abuts the inner end of sleeve 13. The length of sleeve 13 determines the overlap, which reinforces section 9 when the extensible rod is in extended position. The weight of garments supported by extensible rod 7 in its extended position pulls the rod downwardly into engagement with rail 4 which provides additional support for the extensible rod.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of the invention in considerable detail, it Will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of structure may be modified or changed Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described.

I claim:

1. In combination with a support bracket, an extensible rod, a plurality of links supporting said rod in parallel relationship to one longitudinal edge of said bracket, said links being pivotally mounted on said bracket in spaced relationship, and means pivotally securing said links to said rod in parallel relationship.

2. In combination with a support bracket, an extensible rod comprising a tubular base section and a section telescopically engaged within said base section, and a plurality of parallel links supporting said rod in parallel relationship to one longitudinal edge of said bracket, each of said links being pivotally secured at one end to said bracket and at the other end to the base section of said rod.

3. In combination with a support bracket, an extensible rod, and a plurality of parallel links pivotally secured at opposite ends to said bracket and said rod in spaced relationship,-said links being adapted to guide said rod to a position intermediate the length of said bracket when said rod is retracted and is moved in one direction about its pivotal connections with said links.

4. In combination with a support bracket, an extensible 7 rod, a plurality of parallel links interconnecting said rod with the upper edge of said bracket in such a manner that said links guide said rod between two positions adjacent the upper edge of said bracket as said rod is moved in either direction permitted by its connections to said links, said rod being positioned intermediate the length of said bracket in one of said two positions when said rod is retracted, and extending outwardly beyond the outer end of said bracket in said other position. I

5. In combination with a support bracket, a plurality of parallel links pivotally secured to the upper edge of said bracket in spaced relationship, an extensible rod pivotally secured to said links in parallel relationship to said bracket, said rod being movable between an innermost position intermediate the length of said bracket and an outermost position in which it extends beyond one end of said bracket, and a rail supported on said bracket, said rail extending at right angles to said bracket and being adapted to help support said rod in its outermost position.

6. A display rack comprising an upright standard, a support bracket having one end secured to said standard, said bracket extending perpendicularly from said standard, a rail supported on the outer end of said bracket, said rail extending at right angles to said bracket, a plurality of parallel links pivotally secured at one end to said bracket in spaced relationship, and an extensible rod pivotally secured to the outer ends of said parallel links, said rod being retractable to a length less than the distance between said standard and said rail, said links being adapted to guide the outer end of said rod above and outwardly of said rail when it is moved in one direction about said pivotal connection between it and said links.

7. A display rack comprising an upright standard, a support bracket secured at one end to said standard and extending therefrom at right angles, a rail supported above the outer end of said bracket, said rail extending at right angles to said bracket, an extensible rod, and a plurality of parallel links pivotally securing said rod tothe upper edge of said bracket, said rod being retractable to a length less than the distance between said standard and said rail, said links being adapted to guide said rod to a position between the upper edge of said bracket and below the upper surface of said rail as said rod is moved pivotally in one direction.

8. A display rack comprising an upright standard, a support bracket secured at one end to said standard and extending therefrom at right angles, a rail supported above the outer end of said bracket, said rail extending at right angles to said bracket, an extensible rod, and a plurality of parallel links pivotally securing said rod to the upper edge of said bracket, said rod being retractable to a length less than the distance between said standard and said rail, said links being adapted to guide said rod between a position below the upper surface of said rail rearwardly of said rail and a position above said rail as said rod is pivotally moved in oposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 152,497 Landis June 30, 1874 769,447 McKinney Sept. 6, 1904 2.581.257 e he er Ian. 1. 1952 

